What's all this about?

The Aston Martin DBX707 is a super-SUV par excellence. Stunning to look at, blessed with a lovely cabin (and even lovelier since Aston properly sorted the infotainment out, compared to the lacklustre early DBX effort), powered by a monster 707hp/900Nm engine and all finished with one of the best SUV chassis going, it's a £200,000-plus masterpiece capable of 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 193mph. Honestly, what more could you possibly want from something which is, for all its grandiosity and supercar-like performance, fundamentally a family 4x4 than this?

I have a feeling there's a 'but' coming...

You, er, feel correct. Ahem. Anyway, the Aston DBX you're looking at in these pictures isn't a 707. It's called the DBX S and it dollops another 20hp into the mix for a new peak of 727hp - when the last thing the British SUV was desperately crying out for was more power - and then puts the focus on some chassis tweaks and lightweighting techniques to deliver what its parent company describes as "one of the most engaging and responsive driving experiences" going.

So we're talking quite a bit more than £200,000, then?

Considerably so. But let's not dwell on that. Instead, allow us to focus on how Aston has wrung even more oomph out of that Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-litre biturbo V8. Taking learnings from the incoming and breathtaking Valhalla supercar, the engine in the DBX S has that mid-engined machine's larger compressor wheels in its two turbos, as well as some other internal modifications to the V8 lump. It also has a revised exhaust to liberate better airflow, as well as superior noises too, which is a nice side benefit. All told, the torque doesn't change, even though the power output does, and 20hp is relatively modest on something making a colossal 707hp in the first place. Thus, the usual on-paper metrics of 0-62mph and the V-max are unchanged in the move from 707 to S, although the latter does trim three-tenths from the 0-124mph run, clocking an 11.9-second time - and speaking volumes about the increased upper-end urgency that the DBX S possesses.

You talked about chassis changes and weight reduction - can you explain more?

Sure, we'll start with the diet. Admittedly, most of the features we're about to tell you are options on the DBX S, so it'll cost even more to shed all the relevant kilos - but probably worth it, because there are some considerable savings to be made. So buyers can upgrade to a three-metre-square carbon-fibre roof, the largest-ever carbon component fitted to any Aston, which deletes the roof rails, lowers the DBX's centre-of-gravity and trims 18kg from the scales. Fitted with forged-aluminium 23-inch alloy wheels as standard, Aston says it is the first manufacturer to offer magnesium rims on an SUV, which - if equipped - reduce the unsprung mass by 19kg. You can opt to make the door mirrors, side sills, rear diffuser and rear spoiler from carbon, which'll deduct another 7kg from the total. And even the pure-black vaned radiator grille, itself a DBX S hallmark feature, can be replaced with a lightweight honeycomb-pattern mesh instead, which trims another few grammes from the Aston and, the company reckons, even subtly moves the weight balance of the SUV slightly rearwards. Therefore, a DBX S fitted with the carbon roof and associated body trinkets, the magnesium wheels and the honeycomb grille comes in at 2,198kg, a useful 47 kilos trimmer than the 707.

Underneath, the new S runs broadly the same platform as the 707, including the revised calibration of air springs and electronic dampers which came into effect in 2024, as well as its torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system that can shunt up to 50 per cent of grunt to the front wheels and all of the twist to the rear axle when necessary. It also sports a massive set of carbon-ceramic stoppers, the brake discs measuring 420mm at the nose of the DBX S and 390mm on the trailing axle. Model-specific changes, then, include an amendment to the nine-speed 'wet-clutch' automatic gearbox, that now has modified change-up points to reflect the increased rev range of the 727hp iteration of the V8, as well as "more aggressive" downshifts in full auto mode with the SUV in its Sport or Sport+ driving settings. The steering rack is also four per cent faster to respond than that in the 707, which couples with the magnesium alloys (if specified) to deliver greater agility and steering feel, along with a better ride quality (claims Aston, of course; we've not driven the S yet to corroborate this theory).

Sounds very, very decent. May we have a quick word on the appearance and interior?

The DBX S has its own design of front splitter, side sills and rear diffuser, as well as a roof-mounted rear wing. Along the bottom of its bodywork, there is a pinstripe detail that can be rendered in one of three colours (Rosso Corsa Red, Trophy Silver or Podium Green), while discreet 'S' badges sit on the front wings. Perhaps the SUV's most distinguishing feature, though, comes at the back, where there are quad exhaust exits (as there are on the 707), but here they're 'stacked' on either side. A bit like they were on the old Lexus RC F.

Within, there are more 'S' logos to be found in various places, while the upholstery - a mix of Alcantara and semi-aniline leather - has a herringbone pattern unique to the DBX S. Audiophiles will delight in the fact that the DBX S comes with a 14-speaker, 800-watt sound system from the off, but will more than likely opt to upgrade to a banging Bowers & Wilkins set-up which features 23 speakers, two amps and fully 1,600 watts of power. Ear-bleeding stuff.

When will we see these DBX S models on the roads?

Customers can order their ultra-SUVs now, with first deliveries scheduled for Q4 of this year. So last words to Adrian Hallmark, Aston's CEO, who said: "Over the last two years, Aston Martin has introduced an entire core collection of next generation sports cars as well as a new DBX; all with a new, entirely bespoke infotainment system designed in-house.

"The marque continues its focus on class-leading performance, ultra-luxury design and innovation, broadening the range of products under each core model. The introduction of DBX S not only reaffirms our commitment to producing the most exciting, rewarding and beautiful cars, it also sends a powerful statement of intent about our ambitions not just for DBX, but for the Aston Martin brand."

Matt Robinson - 30 Apr 2025